Sparx Skate Sharpener - At home sharpener

[JDhouston 4]

I just got it and it works great. So easy and convenient 

[Playmakersedge 58]

On 2/21/2018 at 11:24 AM, psulion22 said:

 

Yep, exactly.  If I had a real quality sharpener nearby, I wouldn't need a Sparx.  I don't.  There's not one guy that can maintain a profile, and even if there was there would be no guarantee that he'd be working when I need them cut.  No joke, that profile would be gone in two sharpenings, max.

Learn and be the guy in the area . 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

21 minutes ago, Playmakersedge said:

Learn and be the guy in the area . 

Or buy a Sparx because it’s just as good :)

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

9 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

Or buy a Sparx because it’s just as good :)

No, it isn’t. It does an adequate job.  But still, it all goes back to my thoughts on it. 

[OzziesDad 89]

Picking mine up at Sparx HQ today. Pretty psyched. 

[Sticktape 8]

I am heading to Richmond BC from Sask on Easter Weekend for a camp and I would prefer not to pack my Sparx for the flight. Hoping to find somebody nearby with a Sparx Machine that I could use. I would bring discs etc just need a machine. I have four sets of steel so may make it thru the weekend but can’t be certain. Any help would be appreciated. 

[JoeyJ0506 192]

My brother and I just went halfsies on a Sparx. We are both very excited for the convenience this machine is going to give us.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

1 hour ago, JoeyJ0506 said:

My brother and I just went halfsies on a Sparx. We are both very excited for the convenience this machine is going to give us.

Did you use my discount code? ;) LOL

[colins 246]

13 hours ago, Sticktape said:

I am heading to Richmond BC from Sask on Easter Weekend for a camp and I would prefer not to pack my Sparx for the flight. Hoping to find somebody nearby with a Sparx Machine that I could use. I would bring discs etc just need a machine. I have four sets of steel so may make it thru the weekend but can’t be certain. Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Couple of commercial options around Richmond listed here - maybe contact them see if you can drop in and use your own grinding ring and share Sparx info: https://www.sparxhockey.com/pages/skate-sharpening-near-me

[jsonedecker 2]

I have a Sparx and it has been working well for us. My son just switched from LS2 to Step Steel and I'm noticing it burrs the edges on the Step more. I also have to use the stone on them a good bit more than I did on the LS2.

Anyone else having this issue with Step?

[JoeyJ0506 192]

12 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Did you use my discount code? ;) LOL

I had no idea you had one available 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

42 minutes ago, JoeyJ0506 said:

I had no idea you had one available 

Ahhh sorry man. I doubt it’s kosher to go posting that in the thread. So for everyone else: current owners can give you a discount code for $25. Just message any of us and we’d be happy to share :) 

[Santos L Halper 90]

2 hours ago, jsonedecker said:

I have a Sparx and it has been working well for us. My son just switched from LS2 to Step Steel and I'm noticing it burrs the edges on the Step more. I also have to use the stone on them a good bit more than I did on the LS2.

Anyone else having this issue with Step?

I sharpen skates for a bunch of my kid's teammates, a few of my fellow coaches, and a fair number of other guys around and I've definitely noticed that some steel burrs more than others.

I've always been able to deburr adequately, but being a nerd at heart, I got interested in this phenomenon and started poking around on the internet and found the weird world of hobbyist knife makers.  Those guys are fanatical about steel and go into agonizing detail about it; which, closet nerd or not, turns out to not be all that interesting unless you have a burning passion for chemistry and metallurgy. 

Anyway, I learned that, all other things being equal, some compositions of steel are simply more prone to developing edge burr than others.  Since we can't exactly change the formulation of our skate steel, there's nothing we can really DO about it as skate sharpeners/Sparx operators - we just have to deal with it.  

In general, I've found that if you sharpen with fewer passes more frequently, you'll deal with WAY fewer burrs than if you're running a bunch of passes, less frequently.  Put differently, since you've found the Step burrs more easily than the LS2, consider sharpening twice as often with 1/2 the passes.  That way, any burr that forms will be smaller and easier to deal with.  

Sparx has a good writeup on its website about burrs - worth a read if you haven't already...

http://blogs.sparxhockey.com/how-burrs-occur-on-skate-steel-and-how-to-mitigate-them

Edited March 2, 2018 by Santos L Halper
Edited for clarity

[ryanmonty 35]

2 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Ahhh sorry man. I doubt it’s kosher to go posting that in the thread. So for everyone else: current owners can give you a discount code for $25. Just message any of us and we’d be happy to share :) 

ya current owners like me :) ... i think it's my turn lol

[IPv6Freely 2092]

13 minutes ago, ryanmonty said:

ya current owners like me :) ... i think it's my turn lol

Haha that's why I said to message any of us - I didn't want to be a dick and just say to message me 

[jsonedecker 2]

11 hours ago, Santos L Halper said:

I sharpen skates for a bunch of my kid's teammates, a few of my fellow coaches, and a fair number of other guys around and I've definitely noticed that some steel burrs more than others.

I've always been able to deburr adequately, but being a nerd at heart, I got interested in this phenomenon and started poking around on the internet and found the weird world of hobbyist knife makers.  Those guys are fanatical about steel and go into agonizing detail about it; which, closet nerd or not, turns out to not be all that interesting unless you have a burning passion for chemistry and metallurgy. 

Anyway, I learned that, all other things being equal, some compositions of steel are simply more prone to developing edge burr than others.  Since we can't exactly change the formulation of our skate steel, there's nothing we can really DO about it as skate sharpeners/Sparx operators - we just have to deal with it.  

In general, I've found that if you sharpen with fewer passes more frequently, you'll deal with WAY fewer burrs than if you're running a bunch of passes, less frequently.  Put differently, since you've found the Step burrs more easily than the LS2, consider sharpening twice as often with 1/2 the passes.  That way, any burr that forms will be smaller and easier to deal with.  

Sparx has a good writeup on its website about burrs - worth a read if you haven't already...

http://blogs.sparxhockey.com/how-burrs-occur-on-skate-steel-and-how-to-mitigate-them

Thanks for the feedback. I did just start doing less passes more often this week and it does burr less. I also wasn't aware of that article. Some interesting info. Thanks!

[Santos L Halper 90]

On 3/2/2018 at 8:04 PM, jsonedecker said:

Thanks for the feedback. I did just start doing less passes more often this week and it does burr less. I also wasn't aware of that article. Some interesting info. Thanks!

Absolutely! Glad you're seeing results!

[Leif 161]

Any update on when Europeans will be able to buy the Sparx? Or is is still ‘soon’ ie could be next year, or next decade or ...? 

[ViperRy 8]

On 3/2/2018 at 11:04 PM, jsonedecker said:

Thanks for the feedback. I did just start doing less passes more often this week and it does burr less. I also wasn't aware of that article. Some interesting info. Thanks!

Just an FYI, even the Step blacksteel gets burrs on my Sparx and any other sharpener for that matter.

That was the best advice given, less but more frequent passes = less burrs. I do 3 cycles on the blacksteel after about 5hrs on the ice. I might bump that down to 2 and see what I get. I'll update after next sharpening.   

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

So I see on the IG story you can buy a machine at the big rink in Marlboro Mass now. Are you allowed to use it at the rink? 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Awesome!

[psulion22 402]

On 5/14/2018 at 4:51 PM, ViperRy said:

Just an FYI, even the Step blacksteel gets burrs on my Sparx and any other sharpener for that matter.

That was the best advice given, less but more frequent passes = less burrs. I do 3 cycles on the blacksteel after about 5hrs on the ice. I might bump that down to 2 and see what I get. I'll update after next sharpening.   

I also found that lowering the wheel one click on the starting point is giving a smaller burr. I haven't noticed any difference while skating from the wheel starting a fractional amount lower on the toe, but the burr has been much easier to remove.

[Santos L Halper 90]

4 hours ago, psulion22 said:

I also found that lowering the wheel one click on the starting point is giving a smaller burr. I haven't noticed any difference while skating from the wheel starting a fractional amount lower on the toe, but the burr has been much easier to remove.

*nods*

Yep.  Lowering the wheel one click reduces the upward pressure by the grinding wheel on the blade, which will absolutely help reduce burrs.  

To me, that whole "grinding wheel height adjustment" thing is still the biggest piece of voodoo with the Sparx - how high is too high? And...in the same breath, how low is high enough?  

[colins 246]

2 hours ago, Santos L Halper said:

*nods*

Yep.  Lowering the wheel one click reduces the upward pressure by the grinding wheel on the blade, which will absolutely help reduce burrs.  

To me, that whole "grinding wheel height adjustment" thing is still the biggest piece of voodoo with the Sparx - how high is too high? And...in the same breath, how low is high enough?  

 

I find that listening to the pitch of the sound made by the wheel contacting the steel is a great way to tell. If it's consistent and not chattering or changing pitch as it travels left to right and right to left, it's at a good height. Of course very damaged blades are going to cause pitch variations, but for touch ups or final passes the machine should make a nice consistent sound the length of the blade.

Also, for tall steel like LS3 or Step, I still prefer to use the goalie risers. I just find they make it easier to use the height adjustment to hit the toe where I want and not have too much pressure to vary the pitch of the sound... I may be crazy but that's my preference after a year plus sharpening the 4 pairs in my house every couple of skates.

 

colins

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

10 hours ago, colins said:

 

I find that listening to the pitch of the sound made by the wheel contacting the steel is a great way to tell. If it's consistent and not chattering or changing pitch as it travels left to right and right to left, it's at a good height. Of course very damaged blades are going to cause pitch variations, but for touch ups or final passes the machine should make a nice consistent sound the length of the blade.

Also, for tall steel like LS3 or Step, I still prefer to use the goalie risers. I just find they make it easier to use the height adjustment to hit the toe where I want and not have too much pressure to vary the pitch of the sound... I may be crazy but that's my preference after a year plus sharpening the 4 pairs in my house every couple of skates.

 

colins

Interesting.  Be interested to know what the actual depth of hollow is with less pressure.  A certain amount of pressure is required to make the hollow that is on the wheel.